Arkansas Voters Repeal Local Law Allowing ‘Transgendered’ Men in Womens’ Restrooms

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Voters in Fayetteville, Arkansas have repealed a law passed by city council earlier this year that would allow men who identify as women to use womens’ restrooms and vice versa.

By a vote of 52 to 48 percent, residents rejected Ordinance 119 approved in August by the Fayetteville City Council, which voted 6-2 for the controversial measure. In addition to making provision for “transgendered” persons to use the restroom of their choice, the law also prohibited landlords from turning away homosexual couples who sought to cohabitate on their property, banned employers from rejecting homosexual applicants, and disallowed businesses from refusing services that pertained to homosexuality. Non-compliance would result in criminal penalties.

Following the passage of the ordinance, Duncan Campbell, an area pastor, formed a group called Repeal 119 and launched a petition drive that obtained enough signatures to warrant a special election over the matter.

“We wanted to repeal the ordinance because we didn’t believe it made Fayetteville a fairer city or a freer city,” Campbell told local television station KFSM. “It did just the opposite. It was called the Civil Rights Ordinance, but it was misnamed. It was an ordinance that actually took away civil rights and freedom from people. It criminalized civil behavior. It didn’t accomplish the stated purpose of the ordinance and it was crafted by an outside group; it wasn’t something Fayetteville residents put together.”

The Christian legal organization Liberty Council also sent a letter to Mayor Lioneld Jordan to assert that the law discriminated against Christians, noting that bakers, florists and photographers have been punished in other states for declining to facilitate activities that are sinful. It also pointed back to a case in 2012 where police were called on a “transgendered” Washington man who was exposing his reproductive organs in the girls’ locker room. The man cited the state’s non-discrimination ordinance as his basis for protection.

“This CRO (Civil Rights Ordinance) traverses the line between permissible regulation and impermissible burden on the rights of religious business owners throughout the City,” it wrote. “Indeed, the CRO would force churches and other religious entities to permit individuals with a ‘perceived gender identity’ contrary to the biological reality of their birth to use the restroom of whatever gender they identify with on a given day.”

Michelle Duggar of the popular reality show “19 Kids and Counting” likewise participated in a robocall warning residents about the proposal.

“The Fayetteville City Council is voting on an ordinance this Tuesday night that would allow men—Yes, I said men—to use women’s and girls’ restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping areas and other areas that are designated for females only,” she stated. “I don’t believe the citizens of Fayetteville would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls.”

But following Duggar’s participation in the campaign, some created their own petition seeking to pull the family’s television show from TLC.

“The claim that this ordinance would provide predators with access to women’s restrooms in order to assault or leer at girls or women is nothing more than fear-mongering and spreading ignorance and hatred,” it read.

However, in a close tally of 7,523 votes in favor of repealing the ordinance and 7,040 votes in favor of leaving it on the books, residents struck down the controversial measure.

“Homosexual activists are intolerant,” commented Liberty Counsel’s Matt Staver in a statement. “The repeal of this radical and immoral law is a clear reminder that when good people unite and pastors speak up, their voices will be heard and they can make a difference. This ordinance sought to criminalize Judeo-Christian values. The American people should wake up and fight to preserve our inalienable right to freedom of conscience.”

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Frank

Good riddance to bad rubbish!!!

Neiman

I am shocked and saddened the vote was so close. It shows how insane this world is becoming that so many would think this is a good idea.

Gary

I agree.

James Grimes

The vote helps eliminate a disgusting element from where it doesn’t belong. Hopefully, it will protect the decent people of the city.

pax2u

I pray for the good Christians of Arkansas

Jose

It is insane that this idea is even up for discussion? you would’ve told me this 10 years ago I would’ve thought you were joking, but sadly this is the world we live in now. They hate God and want to indulge in their sinful pleasures all in the name of “freedom” and “equality”. But then again why are we surprised? This is the exactly what the bible told us was coming, we should see this as a sign of the bibles infallibility!

Romans 1:18-24

18 For kthe wrath of God lis revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be mknown about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, nhave been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,7 in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they obecame futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 pClaiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and qexchanged the glory of rthe immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore sGod gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to tthe dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for ua lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, vwho is blessed forever! Amen.

SFBruce

Everyone needs a job and a place to live, so it’s sad that Fayetteville has announced to the world that LGBT people aren’t welcome there.

pastoredsmith

Ridiculous. Fayetteville announced that men could not violate women by using their restroom. One who CHOOSES to be “LGBT” or whatever deviant lifestyle they CHOOSE to live should not be able to dominate this culture and desecrate it. I’m thankful for those who stood against this rogue town council that passed this ridiculous law.

SFBruce

According to the APA, and every other psychological or psychiatric professional organization, sexual orientation is not a choice. And it seems to me that the expectation that one should be considered for employment based on experience, and

pastoredsmith

Haha. You make me laugh. There is no such thing as “proof” that “sexual orientation” is biological. It is a choice, not a birth rite. Absurdity it is to call it anything else except what it is. It is sin, just like its “first cousin,” adultery. Science proves it clearly. Men are men and women are women. Period. Only a twisted mind tries to change that.
And, you “haven’t heard of a single instance where a man used this as a ploy….” Right. If a man would pretend to be a woman so he could use the women’s restroom, HE is violating every woman who comes into that room while he is there. It is a clear perversion to act in this manner, not an “I can’t help it” type of idiocy. Science proves that there is absolutely no such thing as a “gay gene.” Only XY or XX Chromosomes defining male and female. DNA never changes. And, because a person acts on their own delusions and sins against God and visually rapes everyone in the restroom of the opposite gender where they gawk at them does not make it right or acceptable practice.

SFBruce

You’re entitled to your opinion and beliefs, but you’re simply wrong when you say science clearly proves sexual orientation is a choice. It is factually correct to say the prevailing scientific consensus about sexual orientation is that it’s not chosen. Laugh at me if you want, but that doesn’t successfully refute anything I’ve said.

pastoredsmith

OK, let’s see some viable proof. You have yet to produce any because there is none that is credible. “Sexual orientation” was chosen by God when He created man. Man was created to live with a woman for life. That was His choice. Then, He allowed divorce because of the hardness of man’s heart (sin). All other sexual activity is forbidden and is wrong. There is your credible proof that homosexuality, cross dressing, LGBT, etc. etc. is all sinful perversion of God’s plan.

SFBruce

You haven’t provided scientific proof, you’ve stated your religious beliefs, which you’re entitled too. However, it’s completely at odds with what most scientists believe about sexual orientation, and more and more Christians share that view.

pastoredsmith

Wrong. Not “religious beliefs.” Christian teachings. These are accurate and absolute truth. Besides, you have yet to produce any of this so-called “proof” that you say exists. There is no proof because it is an open lie to say that anything outside marriage is “normal.” God created man for woman and woman for man. Period. God’s definition of marriage is the only one that is “real and credible.” Let’s see your “proof.” I thought so. You have none.

SFBruce

There’s a difference between proof and faith. You may believe that your faith represents absolute truth, but there are followers of other faith traditions just as convinced that their very different beliefs are also absolute truth. You can’t both be right. I have the same right to religious liberty as you do, but I believe there’s nothing immoral about homosexual behavior between consenting adults.
It’s true, I haven’t laid out an extended argument that sexual orientation isn’t a choice, I’ve simply stated that that’s what most scientists belief, which happens to be correct. You haven’t tried to refute that.

pastoredsmith

Ludicrous. You are making excuses to live the way you want to. I’m not talking about faith, I’m talking about science. Science does not agree with your assumptions that deviant sexual behavior is “genetic.” Other “faith traditions” are deceived and are not following the Bible. The Bible is the only source of absolute truth that mankind has. Ignoring it won’t change the truth. It is true that many people who call themselves “Christians” are not living by the Bible. That has always been, and always will be. It is not Christian people that are the standard to judge right from wrong, it is God’s Word. Clearly, the Bible calls homosexuality something that God hates.
You are incorrect if you assume “most scientists believe…” that homosexuality is not a choice. Science proves you are dead wrong and that you are using lies as an excuse to live the way you wish to.
I recommend you give up this futile fight for deviancy and come to Christ. There, you will find peace. Not religion, a relationship with the God of the Universe. He has a better plan that will bring you true JOY that only He can bring. Forget deviant, lying people; even those who call themselves “Christians.”

Gary

I don’t care what “scientists”, so-called, say about homosexuality. I care what God says about it. And God says it is perversion.

bowie1

They can still use the bathroom facilities.

pastoredsmith

As usual, you people distort everything as it is being said. You misquoted me, you have no idea what I said, apparently. You claim that my stance on homosexuality is purely based on the Bible. Yes, the Bible is the only source of absolute authority for mankind. However, credible science has found no trace of actual evidence that your lame claim that homosexuality is somehow a DNA thing….yet you refuse to site a single scientific source that is credible to that effect.
What is actually happening is that you gays are trying to change thousands of years of understanding as to what “marriage” is all about by a false claim that some people are “born” to live lives of sexual perversion. If that were the case, then every deviant lifestyle of man could easily be said to be in that same “protected” class of people. Murderers, adulterers, etc. would be able to claim that they were “born that way” and can’t help themselves.
And, what you call “widespread disagreement” is not widespread at all. It is a small vocal group of people who demand their way and hold their breath until their face turns blue. It is the “sympathy” kick that is causing people to cave in to your demands. Every pollster in the country, liberal, conservative, and all the rest all demonstrate that homosexuals make up a very small portion of the population.
Your propaganda is nothing but that. Propaganda.. Hogwash.
Get a grip. TELL THE TRUTH instead of your made up hogwash that confuses people. Shame on you. You know the truth, yet you refuse it.

HazumuOsaragi

So I guess everybody is okay with bearded, balding female-to-males using the ladies room because they were born with vågînås, and that’s the only prerequisite for being sorted into the ladies room.

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